Moving On...

 

Yet another season  has passed for the great service provided by the Moving Company of Danceworks.

Rather than generalities, this will be a week by week review of all the performances. 

However, since I live to contradict myself, first a few generalities.

Miss Angelica led the team through a barrage of challenges, often fitting dance routines into locations no sane human being would ever consider for such a performance. Miss Chris was along for almost all of the ride, (or possibly all of the ride, as I never know what's going on backstage until someone gives me the "ready" wave) offering her well earned experience navigating these issues. 

I was really impressed by Seniors Veronica and Cate choreographing their own number for the performances. Their styles meshed seamlessly together and they were a hit at every show. The other Seniors, Hannah and Kailey, also stood out in their highlighted and solo moments of each dance. 

Here's a break down of each of the shows.

Show One- This location is almost always in lockdown for some illness when we try to go late in the season, after the holidays. This time Kim reached out to see if we could start there before the season usually begins. I learned the music controls completely seize up when the anti-virus pop-up ads appear, but luckily that happened during a quick change song. The dancers got to use the small stage, and I was located next to it, allowing another view of a highly appreciative audience. One guy with no use of his legs danced with his upper body like a wild man throughout the entire performance. On the opposite side of him, a more reserved individual tapped his feet along with each tune as he sat in his wheelchair. One viewer was completely unresponsive, sitting with his mouth open the whole show. However, when one specific song played, he quietly hummed along the whole time. The dancers really do reach everyone. its a wonder to observe how much of an effect they have.
 
Show Two- The "Farmer's Market" outdoor performance, two weeks before Thanksgiving. How they manage to perform in what is invariably freezing cold and gale force winds every year amazes me. To fill the outdoor area, the new, ginourmous speaker still needed to be cranked up additionally so the tap dancers could hear the music over their own feet. Object lesson learned- have the speaker volume be set loud enough that the computer volume is only in the middle, allowing a wider range of adjustment. The shivering crowd was into the show, and cheered along.
 
Show Three- The usual pre-Christmas location had their atrium refurbished. (I think before last year.) The high speed placement of tap coins on top of mats in this (and many other locations) was another bit of amazing work by the volunteer Moms who normally keep things organized back stage. The columns that used to be partially in the way of some wheelchair positioning now are larger due to having the exteriors covered over with new tiles. The audience had to stretch all the way around until some were sitting right next to me. The Dancers continued to astound me. Two of the Junior Company performers were missing and one of them was a Dance Captain. However, they adjusted to both the space and the missing people expertly. A benefit of the new wireless music set-up was that in the oddly shaped space, the speaker fit behind the dancers, letting both them and the audience hear it well. An un-benefit was my learning - mid show- that while "escape" unselects things on PCs, for Apples it changes the main window (in this case THE MUSIC!) to no longer be full screen. (AAAAH!) I kept my panic internal and the music smooth, however. My rule of "only experiment on the quick change songs when no one is on stage" paid off again.

Show Four- First Post holiday break show and the dancers didn't miss a beat. That is including rechoreographing both for missing people again, and for the inevitable weirdly shaped performance spaces. They ran two shows this day, for assisted and unassisted living. Yet another quick panic moment for old guy me was when they couldn't get the Bluetooth connection going before the first show, since there are no wire back ups anymore here in the future. They worked it out, and I stayed behind the bar for a rare occasion where both myself and the speaker were completely out of the dancers' way. Usually, I had been hiding behind a couch or coffee table on my knees for the second show in this location. However, they added a nice table (if exceedingly heavy- thank you for helping move it, Daniel) at the side of the room I could sit at this time. Both audiences were really into it. Many of the "all wheelchair set" in the first one were clapping along and the attendant was cheering wildly. Before the second show I heard a woman ask a neighbor, "What are they gonna do?"

A fellow resident replied, "They're going to dance. It's going to be a dancing show."

Her reply- a less than enthusiastic, "eh."

That didn't stop the performers from completely winning her over, though. She had a big, appreciative grin on her face through the entire show, and was moving along to the music. 

 
Show Five- Again, the attendants, who I feel are also starved for entertainment and need a break in their hard working day, enjoyed the show immensely and were clapping and cheering along with the residents. One ran out to the dining room/ makeshift performance area between numbers and yanked down the hanging snowflake decorations. (Those seem to be at every show.) This made the dancer's need to worry less when positioning their lifts. As we set up, maintenance came in and opened some windows to enhance our comfort in the steamingly hot room. Naturally, as soon as the residents entered, "Can someone close those?"  The crowd was average, which for these dancers means they were excellent and really into it. The performers really always give each show their all. During the "Conga" number I noticed multiple older ladies in the crowd shaking their shoulders to the beat. Due to weirdly shaped areas and the wireless advance, it was a rare occasion to watch the show from the front. It was cool to see a brief "Futterwacken" has been handed down from generation to generation of the troupe and remained in the show, even if none of the dancers knows where it came from anymore.
 
Show Six- Another double header. This one in the place that used to feature a performance on a real stage. That is, until the new management decided they didn't want any "children" contaminating their stage. 

Philistines. 

Fortunately, the "old management" of the assisted living area was happy to have us in the other section she was in charge of again this year. We used to always start in the assisted building on the right, which has a harder to find entrance. Last year we switched and I messed it up and wandered around a bit. This year, I figured it out, and went to the left building first. However, I had a miscommunication with Miss Angelica and thought we weren't starting there after all. Therefore I thought I went to the one to the right by accident and wandered the left parking lot for a bit while lugging the giant speaker. (Always a travelling comedy act, I am.) The first show was in an "extra room,"  on a floor with someone in Covid quarantine and had an audience of eight. They were a very happy to have us eight, and even in the weirdly small, mask requiring, minimal audience location, the dancers gave them a full show and made all their days brighter. The attendant who set it up was a hoot and a half, dancing about to keep their interest while Danceworks prepared. I kneeled down in a corner behind a table next to an open window, still wrapped in my coat as there was nowhere to stash it. 

The rush of all the dancers from one building to another is always a parade of chaos, yet somehow everyone, and all the equipment, managed to make it up to the assisted living floor next door.
^{Several of the crowd were bedridden and had to be wheeled in. Two women in this audience were days away from their hundredth birthday, but they were still filled with enthusiasm for the show.  Normally, the dancers enter this long flat room from a little hallway on one side, and I hide in the plants near that entrance. However, when we arrived that path was blocked. They entered the main door on the other side, and I crawled under a table, spending the second show of the day wearing my coat and kneeling down. I needed a shower almost as much as the performers after this.}

Show Seven- This locale was new place that had a lot of extra "keep the residents from wandering off" security. There was a ceramic floor that required no "tap coins" or other coverage, which always makes things a little smoother, if louder. The season had progressed enough that there were no snowflakes hanging from the ceiling that the dancers had to navigate around when doing lifts...

There were hearts.

The audience clearly needed guidance and help, but were no less into it and thrilled to have the performance. Many of the crowd were singing along and tapping their feet. Multiple residents and attendants echoed the "WOO!" in the middle of the "Conga" performance. I ducked into a little hidey hole office on the side to stay out of the way. The advantage was not only could I see the audience from there, but the outstandingly proud expressions of the "Helping Moms" watching their children dance. I can never say enough about the Stage Presence Danceworks fosters. When the dancers walk into the room, they are always already performing, long before they reach the "stage." The new place definitely wants a return of the Moving Company next year. 

One "audience reaction" remains constant at every show. There is always one pair of older women, both enjoying the show, but one dancing clapping and singing along the whole time, while the other keeps looking at the first with a "what is wrong with you?" expression.

Show Eight- The final show of the season returned to the local school all purpose room for a combination with the Girl Scouts as a benefit for the local food pantry. Because, these dancers are amazing at giving back to their community in every possible way. Miraculously, plugging the computer into the sound system worked this time, stashing me back stage. Some quick curtain moves allowed me to actually see the stage, which was a HUGE help. The only issue was, having no idea how to adjust their system, the computer was maxed out. Luckily, Miss Chris is far more performance savvy than I, and figured out to rotate one of the on stage speakers toward the dancers. Then there was enough music for everyone. This was fortunate as the one knob I did have access to (which I tried to use for tap, and my standard trick of making people applaud louder at the end) did absolutely nothing. Due to the full size stage, (and again Miss Chris having performance savvy) she ran her dancers through a couple of rehearsals to readjust. (There were a few, "sorry I kicked you in the face" moments. I think having that much room messed with their minds.) I learned something interesting as she'd ask for "Senior Jazz" or something. With all my years of experience with the Moving Company, I still had absolutely no idea what the dance styles were. Luckily, some quick notes on the hand annotated schedule I always keep in case the computer goes insane got me through it. Miss Angelica followed suit with her numbers and with everyone reconfigured, the show launched. There was one huge issue with being backstage... 

Watching the seniors hug before their last performance together made it hard to see the control screen while I was weeping like an infant. 

It was also difficult not to laugh at both sets of tap dancers trying to tip toe in tap shoes back stage. Sitting back there did let me see more evidence of how much they support each other as the groups passed by and encouraged the next group due to go on. A gang from the next act joined in to make the "Conga" "WOO!" even more epic than usual. The oversized audience loved the show just as much as the folks who couldn't get out on their own. 

The end of the year party was the fantastic release it always is. The later shows of the season featured the dancers trying to peek in and learn the numbers they weren't in for this festive event. 

Three highlights of the impromptu performances are impressive and hilarious every year. 

The youngest ones who threw themselves into the Senior Company numbers with full enthusiasm for each guessed motion.

The older dancers who performed over the top parodies of the Junior Company selections.

And the very rare moments where someone nailed a key part of a dance exactly, to the wild cheers of those who were in it in the show. 

It is a wonderful display of support for each other that highlights how much Moving Company means to all of them, and how strong the bonds between them Danceworks continues to form. 

The fact that they always rush to do "the pyramid" at the end while people are actively leaving and yet have never inadvertently launched one of the smaller dancers across the room serves as a testament to the physical skills of these dancers. 

As it is every year, it was a huge honor to be part of something that brings so much joy to people who normally couldn't get this entertainment, and that fosters wonderful connections between the dancers themselves. 

However, we had a lot of family stuff going on this year. And having these shows in the middle of weekends made me feel like I was being pulled away from my family when they needed me there. Therefore, this will be my final year doing the music. I can't express enough how impressed I am will all the Danceworks staff, volunteers and (especially) students for pulling off the impossible week after week to bring such joy to those who really deserve it. I am thrilled to have played my small part in helping out, and will treasure the time and contribution I was able to make. I will miss the experience, and the occasional "Hi Uncle Jeff" from Morgan and Veronica as they set up this year. However, with advances in technology there are other folks more than qualified to run the music, and it is time for me to go. 

(Sadly, the same faulty cable that ate my zoo photos, wiped out the picture of my final "thank you" flowers, hence the text heavy ending.)

I'm sure the Moving Company will continue shining the light of dance on those who would otherwise have no access to it for years to come. I look forward to experiencing future public shows as a spectator.